A group of scientists examine a sarcophagus taken from an unmarked grave at an archeological dig in 1921 Egypt. There is a warning on the box that it should not be opened. Does this stop anyone? Of course not! So Im-Ho-Tep (Karloff), a 4000-year-old priest who was disgraced and buried alive, is now revived. Then, of course, ther's his objective--heroine Helen (Johann) whom the wrapped one believes is the reincarnation of his long-gone love Anck-es-en-Amon. Eerie chills mark this classic horror tale that found Karloff undergoing eight hours of extraordinary makeup (by Jack Pierce) to transform him into the macabre mummy. Marked the directing debut of famed German cinematographer Freund. The first in the Universal series.